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Standardized tests are used to measure student's aptitude. The following are the tests you need to appear for if you are a:
Explanation of each testEach of the tests aims at testing a specific area of aptitude and is scored differently. The registration information, the dates on which the test is offered and other information also varies from test to test. In the following section you will learn about the test, registration details, testing schedules and payment methods. The TOEFL is an examination required of all students regardless of the degree you are applying for. The TOEFL or the Test of English As a Foreign Language, tests the students ability to understand the English language. Most overseas countries are predominantly English speaking and it is essential that an applicant speaks and writes English fluently in order to understand what is being taught in class. Your score on the TOEFL test enables the admissions committee to evaluate whether you understand English. The TOEFL examination tests the student on four sections –
Computer-adaptive the initial questions are of average difficulty. On the basis of your answer you will be given a question of a higher or lower level of difficulty. You will recieve a scaled score, the total of which is 300. For the computer-based test, you will receive three section scaled scores: Listening (0 to 30), Structure/Writing (0 to 30), Reading (0 to 30), and a total score (0 to 300). The test is administered almost every month in India. To register for the test in India, you must write to the TOEFL center at Allahabad and request your own TOEFL bulletin. The bulletin contains complete information on the test, the test dates and their respective deadlines, test centers and the registration form. We recommend that you register for the TOEFL examination at least two months in advance of the test date. The test centers in India fill up quickly. In the registration form you will have an option asking you to fill up your choice of any other city/cities that you would like to test in. It is advisable to fill in the name of cities in addition to the one you live in, to ensure that you are registered for the testing date of your choice. The TOEFL test fee is US $110. The draft is to be made payable to ETS - TOEFL. The TOEFL bulletin can be downloaded from www.toefl.org. Once you have been registered for the examination you will be issued a hall ticket. This may arrive by post approximately 2 weeks prior to your test date. Check if all the details on the hall ticket are mentioned correctly – i.e. your name, surname and date of birth. Your test center and its location will also be printed on the form. You will need to affix your photograph and sign on the hall ticket. And do not under any circumstances forget to carry your passport with you. If you do not have a passport with a recognizable photograph on it, you will not be allowed to give the test. The TOEFL test in India is still a paper-based test till the month of September. From October onwards the TOEFL will be administered as a computer based test. The TOEFL test is a multiple question paper, where you have to circle the appropriate answer. You must answer the paper using a HB 2 pencil. The test is conducted for 3 hours.
The TWE is the Test of Written English. As the title suggests a student’s written English skills are evaluated through this test. There are no sections on the test. The student is simply asked to write a short essay on a given topic. The maximum score on a TWE is 6.0. Students generally range between 4 and 6 on the test. The TWE is generally administered along with the TOEFL test. There is no separate registration form or additional payment required for the TWE. To appear for the TWE a student must choose a TOEFL test date that also administers the TWE. Your TWE scores will be reported along with the TOEFL scores. The TWE examination will take half an hour in addition to the TOEFL test. You will be given a topic on which you must write your essay.
The TSE is the Test of Spoken English. The student is tested on his ability to use English as a spoken language. The test is approximately for 20 minutes. You will be asked questions on a tape, and your responses too will be taped. Speak clearly and loudly. This test is generally recommended for all graduate students. Almost every graduate institute in the US awards a teaching assistantship on the basis of the TSE score. The maximum score on the TSE is 60. Students must secure a score of 50 and above to be eligible for a teaching assistantship. Like the TOEFL, the TSE score is valid for a period of 2 years only. The TSE is administered on selected dates and is not offered on every TOEFL test date. Students can register for the TSE on a separate testing date. Indian students who want to register for the TSE must make a rupee demand draft equivalent to $125. The draft is to be made payable to IPEM at Allahabad. To register for the TSE, you can again use the registration form in the TOEFL bulletin. Mark the option TSE on the registration form. While for the TOEFL exam you had to mark the correct option from a multiple-choice questionnaire, for the TSE you will be asked to listen to an audiocassette. Based on the conversation that you hear you will then need to answer your test paper. When you give the test, you have the opportunity to send your TSE scores to any 3 schools of your choice- Free of Charge. At the back of your hall ticket simply enter the code number of the school of your choice. You will find these codes in your TOEFL bulletin.
The Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT), is a standardized test required for admission into American high schools. The test measures verbal and mathematical ability. All questions are multiple-choice. The test consists of five sections, 25 minutes each. There are two levels of testing. Students enrolled in grades 8 and above take the Upper Level test. The Lower Level test is taken by students in grades 5,6, and 7. For more information on the SSAT, and an application form, write to Secondary School Admission Test, Educational Testing Service, Princeton, New Jersey 08541, USA. You can also order a book called "Preparing for the SSAT" from the same address.
The SAT is the Scholastic Aptitude Test taken by students applying for the bachelor’s degree. The test evaluates the students scholastic aptitude. Your scores on the SAT test are important, as they determine the colleges that you can apply to, and your scholarships and financial aid awards. There are two sections on the SAT 1, the verbal and the mathematics section. Each section is based on a maximum of 800 points. The student is awarded points for correct answers and marked negatively if incorrect. There is no negative marking if you leave the question unanswered. The SAT requires at least 2 to 3 months of preparation. A score between 1100 to 1250 is average though a small percentage of students score a 1500 and above. The SAT 1 score is valid for a period of 5 years. You can register for the SAT test using any of the following methods.
Indian students need to pay a total of $54 as registration charges. This includes the basic registration fee, the international processing fee and the Indian surcharge fee. If you register via fax you need to include an additional $5.00. The SAT 1 in India is held in the following months – October, November, December, January, May and June. The hall ticket will be mailed to you giving you the details of your registration number, the test date and test center. Check for any errors in your name, surname and birth-date. Remember to carry with you your passport and any other forms of identification. The SAT test is a paper-based test.
The SAT 2 test is an aptitude test that evaluates a student’s knowledge on specific subjects. Each subject test is scored on a maximum of 800. Students may choose to attempt any subject of their choice. Generally a student attempts 3-subject tests. Writing and Math I C or Math II C are compulsory tests. The third subject test is of the students choice. These can be taken on the same day or on separate testing dates depending on the availability of the subject test.
Each of the SAT 2 tests is for one hour and the student solves a multiple choice question paper. In the case of Writing, students may be asked to write an essay. The SAT 2 is not required for admissions purpose by all Universities. Some of the Universities that require the SAT 2 are University of Pennsylvania, Princeton University, University of California Berkeley. Within the same University, certain departments may require the SAT 2 for certain majors. In some Universities your SAT 2 scores will be used for advanced placement (i.e. one earns credits) – example the University of Texas at Austin. We recommend that you take the SAT 2 only if you have impressive SAT 1 scores (generally 1350 and above). Some colleges also specify the SAT 2 papers that are needed. Check which SAT 2 papers you require to take for your major. You can use the same methods as mentioned in the SAT 1 to register for the test. You need to check the appropriate subject tests. Check the dates on which they are administered. The basic registration fee is $13, an additional fee of $6 is required for each subject paper, $11 for writing, $8 language test with listening. International students will need to pay the international registration fee. There is also an additional fee for students registering from India. Madhavi Desai recommends that you take the SAT 2 test a year in advance of your term of enrollment. As most of the schools requiring the SAT 2 tests have early deadlines – Nov / Dec / Jan. Colleges specifically ask students to give the SAT 2 test by the month of December in the year prior to their term of enrollment. On the day of the test, you can use the calculator if you are taking the subject test in Math. If you have a scientific calculator carry it with you, as it will help you answer questions correctly. If you are taking the language subject test with Listening remember to carry a cassette player. As a precaution carry extra batteries.
Some colleges accept the ACT score in lieu of the SAT test. The ACT is not an aptitude or IQ test. The ACT instead measures a students overall academic achievement in English, Mathematics, Reading and Science Reasoning. The questions in this test are directly related to what you have learnt in high school. The test is conducted over 2 hours and 55 minutes. Similar to the SAT students, ACT exams require students to answer a multiple-choice test paper. A unique feature of the ACT is the interest inventory. This provides students with valuable information that will help them in career and educational planning. This test is not offered to international students
The GRE is the Graduate Record Examination and is required for students applying for a Master’s or Doctoral degree. The GRE is a competitive examination and requires 3 months preparation. There are three sections on the GRE – the verbal section, the quantitative section and the analytical section. The Verbal section measures student’s verbal skills. You will need to solve analogies and antonyms, complete sentences and work on some reading comprehension. The quantitative section measures the student’s mathematical skills. You will be asked questions related to geometry, algebra and some probability questions. The analytical section measures the student’s logical skills. Here you will need to understand the logic to answer a question. You may have to draw diagrams, apply hypothesis you have learnt or draw conclusions from the graphs and tables provided. The total score of the GRE is 2400; each section is on 800. Different schools have different GRE score requirements. Some colleges require a combined minimum score of 1100 on the verbal and quantitative sections. In popular majors such as computer science or the engineering fields, the competition is tough since the applicant pool is comparatively larger. Hence students must strive to cross the 2000 mark. Your scores better your chances for an assistantship. The GRE score is valid for 5 years. The GRE test in India is now a computer-based test. Thanks to online testing students can now take the GRE all year round. There is no specific test date or test month, neither are there any registration deadlines. Plan your test well in advance to meet all your financial aid deadlines. You can register for the test by filling up the computer based test registration form in the GRE bulletin or downloading the form from www.gre.org. To register for the test you must make a dollar draft of $125 payable to Sylvan. Indian students must send their registration form along with the draft to the regional center at New Delhi. Send your registration form at least one month in advance. If you are not familiar with the use of the computer you can first go through the practice module. The unique feature of the GRE computer based test is that it is adaptive. The initial questions are of average difficulty. On the basis of your answer you will be given a question of a higher or lower level of difficulty. You cannot move on to the next question until you have answered the one displayed on your screen. When you have completed the test you can send your scores to any 4 colleges of your choice free of charge. You may select these from the list of colleges displayed on the screen.
The AGRE is the Advanced Graduate Record Examination also known as the Subject GRE. A paper based test, the student is tested on a particular area or subject. The test is conducted for 3 and a half hours. Some majors require the AGRE as part of the admissions process; Example - Computer Science, Genetics, Molecular Biology, Psychology, Economics. Some colleges may use the AGRE to determine the eligibility of two candidates with similar profiles or for awarding assistantships. In some cases a Master’s student might not be required to take the AGRE whereas a Ph.D. student may be required to take the AGRE examination. The maximum AGRE score is 800. The score on the AGRE is valid for 5 years The AGRE is held only twice in a year, once in the month of April and once in the month of December. To register for the AGRE fill up the appropriate subject test forms. At the time of registration you may send your scores free of charge to any 5 institutions of your choice.
The GMAT is required of all students planning to apply for MBA program. This test is exclusively used by the graduate business schools to screen applicants looking for careers in the administrative and managerial cadre. The GMAT test measures a candidate’s verbal, mathematical and analytical skills. The total GMAT score is 800. Students who are keen on applying for the TOP business schools must cross the 650 mark on the GMAT test. The GMAT test is offered all year round. You can choose any day in the year to give the test. You can register for the GMAT via phone, fax or mail. Phone - You can register for a test 3 business days (Monday to Friday) prior to your preferred test date. Candidates in India will need to call the Regional Registration Centre (RRC) in New Delhi at 91-11-699-0637. You will be given your test center address and registration number on the phone. Fax- You must complete the International Test Scheduling form available in the bulletin or download from www.gmat.org. Indian students can Fax the completed form to the RRC in New Delhi at 91-11-699-7103.you must send in your fax 7 days prior to the preferred test date. You will receive a confirmation by post. Remember, the fax and phone facilities are available only if you have one of the following credit cards VISA/ American Express/ MasterCard. Mail - You can register for the GMAT test using the International Test Scheduling form which is available in the GMAT bulletin or downloadable at www.gmat.org . You need to make a dollar draft of $ 210 payable to ETS - GMAT. You can use your credit card (VISA/ American Express/ MasterCard) to make the test payment. The form along with the draft payment must be sent to the regional center in New Delhi. The form must be received 3 weeks before your preferred test date. You will receive a confirmation by post. Arrive 30 minutes prior to the test time. Carry with you your passport. The GMAT test is no longer a paper-pencil test. Candidates can now take the computer adaptive test. The quantitative and verbal sections are adaptive. You will begin by answering a question of medium difficulty. In response to your answer you will be given a question of higher or lower difficulty. You must answer the next question displayed on your screen to proceed to the next question. You cannot return back to previous questions to change your responses. You will be given 75 minutes each for the verbal and quantitative sections. The verbal section will contain sentence correction, reading comprehension and critical reasoning. The quantitative section on the other hand will contain questions on data sufficiency and problem solving. To answer the analytical section you will be given 1 hour. Here you will be given 2 topics to which you must type in your responses. You will be given 5-minute breaks in between each section. If you have not scored well on the GMAT you can retake the GMAT test. Remember, you cannot retake the test in the same calendar month as your previous test date, even if you have cancelled your scores. Free Score – After you have completed the test you can send your scores to any 5 colleges of your choice free of charge. The list of schools will be displayed on the computer and you can choose the schools accordingly.
The LSAT is the Law School Admission Test. Candidates keen on applying to law school must take the LSAT as part of the application requirements. The LSAT measures a students reading and verbal reasoning skills. There are 5 sections on the test. Each section is of 35 minute. The LSAT is administered by the Law School Admission Services. The test dates are in June, October, December and February. Visit www.home-lsat.com for further information on registration and test dates. You can download the LSAT bulletin at http://www.lsac.org/testing-locations.htm The test score for the LSAT ranges from 120 to 180. The LSAT test scores are valid for a period of three years. Generally, a student may take the LSAT not more than three times in a two-year period.
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